Congratulations to Pastor Josh and Jenise Colyer on the birth of their baby boy, Landon Tate! All are doing well. If you'd like to keep up with the "Colyer Circus" hop on over to his newly created family blog to find out all of the details!

http://joshcolyer.blogspot.com/

All Children's Ministry Workers

are invited to a time of appreciation on

Sunday morning, February 14 in Room 208

before the 1st service and between services. Stop

in and get some breakfast goodies and your Valentine!

Thank you for your service and dedication. We love you!!!

snail mail

On these cold Iowa days we've been having and many of us are stuck inside, this would be a great time to sit down and write out some cards of encouragement to the kids in your group. Remember if you don't have addresses, Kim Novy can get them for you! There are cards you can use in room 210, and if you give them to Josh, he will even put a stamp on them and mail them for you! Do you remember how excited you were when you were little and a personal piece of mail came for you? I know I always looked on our dining room table first thing (that's where Dad always put the mail) when I got home from school to see if I'd gotten anything. A note of encouragement from you might be just the thing that makes their frigid day a little warmer!!

some valuable questions

I recently came across this entry on another blog, and thought it was a good thing to pass along to you as teachers. What a great list of questions to keep handy as you prepare and evaluate the lessons you are teaching. Print it out and keep it with your lessons. If you honestly answer "no" to any of them, make a quick change- add a visual- explain a section further- add in some student participation- use a review game- simplify the language- and change that "no" to a "yes!"

1. Will they understand it?
2. Can they see it?
3. Are they scared of it?
4. Can they apply it?
5. Is it too long for them to pay attention?
6. Could they repeat it? Re-teach it?
7. Are they being bad, or being their age?
8. Will they get it?
9. Will they want it?
10. Will they remember it?

Pasted from <http://cmmonthly.com/category/training/page/2/>

How well do you know your students?

I came across this article today, and it hit me hard. I thought about all of the little faces that come through Grace's doors each Sunday. Some days I stand at the door and greet them as they come in. I am happy if I know their names. I'm learning more and more with each Sunday I am up there. But for so many, that's as far as it goes. Unless these kids are friends of our family, I probably couldn't tell you if they live in a single parent home, only attend church with grandparents, have a parent who has cancer or who has lost a job, or any other host of major life events that might be taking place. And that makes me sad. Thankfully I am not doing ministry alone. My smile and personal greeting at the doors as they come in is important, but each one of you, who teach and train them on a weekly basis are so crucial...by listening, by caring, and by loving them whatever the circumstance they are facing.
Can you think of someone in your group who has a special need right now? A child who is going through a particular hurt? Make a point to reach out in a special way to let them know how much you care for them.

Take a minute to read the following article.


http://www.christianitytoday.com/childrensministry/cupothoughts/whatchildrenreallybelieve.html